Wire display rack



July 12, 1960 H. J. RUBENSTEIN 2,944,679

WIRE DISPLAY RACK Original Filed May 11, 1953 he; e

INVENTOR. Harry J Rube/75km ATTORNEY rfisi na pplic t n y WIRE DISPLAY RACK 4 o1aims.rerun-.1181

This invention relateslto .fiXtureSIforlIdispIaY I :artidfis of merchandise and particularly to fixtures of the type having tray-like structure made entirely from wire or rod-like :stopk ;cut,1for-med and welded .into place.

-It is the primary object of this invention to improve upon the display 'fixtures-illustrated-in*UZS. Patents No.

Pat nted Ju1y12, .1960

2 standards 12 and 14 by a back portion generally numerated 18. -It is to be understood that .the entire display fixture 10 including standards 12 and 14 is preferably made from wire that maybe out, bent and formed into the desired shape, and welded at points of crossing of thecomponent parts thereof. Inthis connection, .it 1's to be noted'that care has been .taken toprovide .config mutation and a'r-rangementof parts so aswto render the welding Loperation simple, fast and therefore inexpensive. Y

Tray .16 consists of a single, continuous length .of wire presenting a bottom 20, an upright front 22, a pair Lot 2,167,375 and No. 2,698,690, this application being' a idivision of my copending applicationSerial No.-.3;5.4, 2,68,

filed May 11, 1953, and entitled Display Fixture Having Improved Article Supporting BackPortion, now Patent No. 2,897,975, issued August 4, 1959.

A very important object of the present invention is the provision of a display fixture having a tray or pocket similar to those disclosed in the patents set forth above, together with means associated with such pockets in the nature of an upwardly and rearwardly inclined back portion for supporting the merchandise in the trays in a more eye-appealing and advantageous manner.

There are many types of articles of merchandise, such as books, magazines, cards and the like, that can be displayed better if the same are supported in a suitable tray in a rearwardly inclined position, but which require a back support because of the flimsy nature thereof and inability to support themselves. Furthermore, articles of this character are more easily viewed by a potential purchaser, selections can be made with less efiort, the rack can be more easily loaded, and the articles are less likely to fall from the tray or become dislodged accidentally therefrom if the same are supported in the aforementioned inclined position and are provided with a suitable backing in the tray structure itself.

It is therefore another important object of the invention to provide an inclined back portion that may be advantageously associated with the tray itself by attachment to its bottom or its sides and rear, together with attachment to a supporting standard for the tray, as desired, all for the purpose of presenting a back support for the articles of merchandise and for holding the same in a proper position. I

Additional objects of the invention relate to details of construction which include the way in which the inclined back portion may be joined to the tray or the standard to cause the tray to be disposed in an inclined posit-ion, all as will become apparent as the following specification progresses.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a display fixture having improved article supporting back structure embodying the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and r Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of the tray and ba'ck portion thereon which is shown mounted in suitable upright standard means.

Display fixture 10 preferably includes a pair of upright standards '12' and 14 serving to support a tray broadly numerated 16 and secured to corresponding place on.

spaced sides 24 and a rear 26. Bottom .20 is U-shaped, presenting therefore a horizontal bight 28 and a pair of space d, substantially parallel legs 30:and 32. While the zlegs30 and 32, as shown in Fig. 3, are inclined downwardly as bight 28 is approached, thedegreeof inclination may be varied .in accordance with the des ires of the manufacturer. However, the degreeof'inclination] of legs30 and 32 maybe changed .by' modifying back portion18, as will becomeclearer herei na fter.

- .Thefro nt22 of tray 16 .consists ofa pair .of spaced, substantially vertical stretches-34am. 36, joined to legs 30 and 32 respectively. at the forwardmost ends of the latter. The two sides 24 of tray 16 connect rear 26 with laterally extendingarms 38 and 40 on the uppermost ends of stretches 34 and 36 respectively.

Back portion 18 of display fixture 10 consists of a single, continuous length of wire formed in substantially transversely L-shaped configuration and thereby including parallel, vertically spaced, lower and upper end portions 42 and 44 respectively, each welded to'respective standards 12 and 14, as best shown in Fig. 2. A pair of L-shaped leg portions 46 and 48 interconnecting corresponding extremities of end portions 42 and 44, each include a lower, relatively short stretch 50 and an upper, relatively long stretch 52 disposed at an angle with respect to standards 12 and 14.

- In the preferred form of the invention, rear 26 is welded to the surface of corresponding stretches 52 intermediate the ends thereof and proximal to standards 12 and 14, while bight 28 of bottom 20 is likewise welded to stretches 52 and adjacent the zones of juncture thereof with respective stretches 50. It is to be noted that bight 28 is located in slightly spaced relationship to stretches 50 to thereby permit easier welding of display fixture 10 and precluding the necessity of welding a rod directly within the corner defined by the merger of stretches 50 with respective stretches 52.

It can now be ascertained that the an-gularity of tray 16 with respect to the horizontal may be changed by varying the angle of stretches 52 with respect to standards 12 and 14 and which may be readily accomplished by shortening or lengthening the stretches 50 of L- shaped leg portions of 46 and 48.

It is also contemplated that legs 30 and 32 be disposed in substantial parallelism with corresponding stretches 50, but again this may be changed if desired, to meet specific constructural requirements.

A plurality of super-imposed tray and back portion assemblies may be secured to standards 12 and 14if desired, and the latter in turn may be secured to any support as desired. A vertical series of trays '16 and their backing portions 18, mounted on a vertical wall or the like through the medium of standards 12 and 14, presents an attractive fixture for receiving many, types of articles of merchandise,

It is now seen that articles of merchandise may be supported within the trays 16 between the side walls 24 thereof and resting on the legs 30 and 32 of bottom 20. The inclination of stretches 52 of back portion 18 a 3 may be changed as desired, but in any event, the article supporting, inclined stretches 52 provide a reinforcing back for the article standing in tray 16. Regardless of the inclination of bottom 20, the articles cannottslide from the trays because of their coming into engagement the stretches being parallel and lying in a common plane,

an outwardlyextending arm on the uppermost end of each stretch respectively, the arms being disposedperpendicular to their respective stretches on a common line, av substantially horizontal side piece extending rearwardly 'frorn'the outermost end of each arm respectively,

the pieces being parallel in a common plane, and a horizontal rear portion joining the rearwardest end of each side piece respectively and lying in a vertical plane spaced inwardly from and parallel to the bi-ght; and a continuous length of wire presenting a substantially transversely L- shaped back portion having a horizontal, spaced upper and lower end portion secured to said standard and vertically aligned, substantially L-shaped leg portions interconnecting corresponding opposed extremities of said upper and lower end portions, said L-shaped leg portions each including a lower stretch extending outwardly from said standard and an upper stretch positioned at an angle with respect to said standard, said bight portion and rear portion respectively of the tray being secured to said upper stretches of the back portion in vertically spaced, parallel relationship.

2. A display fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bight portion and rear portion of the tray are disposed between respective upper stretches of the-back portion, and said standard.

3. A display fixture as set forth in claim 1 wherein said legs of the tray and said lower stretches of the back portion are disposed in substantially parallel relationship longitudinally thereof.

4. A display fixture as set forth, in claim 1 wherein said bi-ght portion of the tray is disposed in spaced relationship to said lower stretches of the back portion.

References Cited in the file of-this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS a... .LL 

